


ready, willing and able to lose it all

by notthebigspoon



Series: Jet Black Sky Is Painted White Again [3]
Category: Baseball RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-27
Updated: 2012-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-12 23:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/497017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthebigspoon/pseuds/notthebigspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hunter Pence: mildly obsessive compulsive geek and subject of admonition and mockery from pitchers.</p><p>Title taken from Heartache Every Moment by HIM.</p>
            </blockquote>





	ready, willing and able to lose it all

Hunter has a routine for everything. Waking up with Brandon Belt wound around him like an affectionate boa constrictor doesn't mean he can change the routine. He wakes as his alarm is just starting to go off and reaches out to turn it off, glancing down at Belt. Kid doesn't so much as stir. It makes Hunter smile.

He carefully slides out from under the arm that's thrown over his waist, slipping his pillow into his place. Belt mumbles in his sleep and hugs the pillow, snuffling and settling down again. Hunter kisses his forehead before padding into the bathroom. Brush teeth, floss teeth, wash face then shower. Shampoo hair, then conditioner. Wash face again. Rinse and then back out. Dry off and shave and then breakfast.

When he makes it back into the bedroom to dress, Brandon is still fast asleep. Well. That's not gonna work. Hunter hesitates, ponders the best course of action. Brandon had been ready to flee last night after they'd had sex. Hunter still isn't sure what this is. If it's just going to be sex or something more. Not that he doesn't want more but he knows better than to expect anything. That way lies trouble.

Well, kid's got to eat. Hunter leans over, gently rocking his shoulder. Belt mumbles and cracks his eyes, peering up at Hunter and smiling lazily. “Morning.”

“Morning.”

“You're already... wait, what time is it? Did I oversleep?” Belt asks, and he sits straight up, looking Hunter up and down.

“Not really. I get up early. You hungry?”

“A little.”

“I'm gonna make breakfast. There's um, towels on the bathroom counter and an extra toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. Knock yourself out.”

The only message on his phone is from Castro, a picture that shows two Astros pitchers in a state of undress that Hunter could have lived forever without seeing. He makes a face, turns the touchscreen on and hunts through his netflix streaming for something he hasn't gotten around to watching yet.

He's half paying attention to an episode of Spongebob and browning flour in a pan when Belt finally surfaces from the bedroom. He's wearing his own jeans from the night before but one of Hunter's shirts. Hunter grins. He kinda like the sight of Belt in his clothes. Brandon smooths it down, looking self conscious. “I uh. Mine was kind of um. Well, let's say I'm gonna have to wash it.”

“I'll clean it when I do laundry, bring it back to you.”

“Stark Rogers 2012? Really?”

Hunter shrugs. “I'd vote for 'em. There's milk and juice in the fridge, glasses are in the cabinet to the left.”

They're both awkward guys. Everybody and their mother knows that. Which is why Hunter finds himself being surprised all over again that this is so easy. They sit down with biscuits, gravy, bacon and eggs, one of the few things Hunter can make every time without screwing it up. They eat, they flirt and they watch cartoons. When they finish, Brandon hesitates long enough that Hunter takes pity on him, sliding a hand behind his neck and pulling him down into a kiss.

Color blooms high and bright on Brandon's cheeks and he stutters out a shy but happy goodbye before heading down to the street to catch a cab back to his own place and get his gear. Hunter checks his email, leaves Castro an obscenity laden voice mail ordering him to cease and desist with the naked pictures of his conquests and then grabs his bag to go to the park.

As far as pre games go, it's a pretty quiet day. Pennant race or not, they don't have a lot hanging over their heads today. There's a sick little girl that he's heard some of the other guys mention and that he's read about on Twitter. Her smile and her outlook, both so bright, are infectious and with that on top of his already good mood, Hunter is pretty sure he becomes downright unbearable for the people around him. 

He's in the dugout, getting a drink of water and making sure he knows where his stuff is, when he looks onto the field and almost has a heart attack. He squeaks and promptly bites his knuckles so he doesn't say something completely humiliating, turning and pretending to be very very busy with his batting helmet. A hand on his shoulder makes him jump and he offers Affeldt a smile, wondering just how red he is right now.

“Something wrong Pence? You okay?” Affeldt's earnest concern only makes this even more embarrassing. Hunter is not one of the awkward brothers for nothing.

“Um, yeah, fine. Great.”

“You sure? Looked like something was wrong.”

“Need something to laugh at?”

“... no?” Affeldt answers uncertainly. He was concerned before but now he's just plain confused.

Hunter sighs and rubs his forehead. “I um. Did you see who was on the field?”

“Yeah. Cate Blanchett.”

“Her.”

Affeldt smirks. “I see. Do you have a crush?”

“No! Well, no, it's.... Affeldt, she's _Galadriel_. Galadriel is standing five yards away from me.”

“Right. I see.” Affeldt says slowly before grinning and thumping Hunter on the back. “Well. You stand here and freak out if you want to, I'm going to go say hi.”

And he _does_ it, which is what shocks Hunter, who stays a healthy distance away to keep from embarrassing himself unduly.

The game. It is what it is. He does his job and between times he shoots the shit with Pagan. He bumps shoulders with Belt when they're passing each other. He doesn't really think that they're acting any differently than usual except apparently they are. Because he's sitting back and relaxing, taking a drink of water when Lincecum sits down next to him. Hunter nods to acknowledge him because that's just good manners.

Lincecum is smiling and he drives an elbow into Hunter's side. “So. Saw you last night.”

“Uh. Yeah. I'm in a dugout with you every night.”

“Nope. I saw you out.”

“And?”

“In the Castro.”

“I live there.”

“In a diner.”

“I eat.”

“With Belt.”

“Kid likes milkshakes.”

“He's confused.”

Hunter smirks and mumbles into his water, “Not anymore he isn't.”

“Just saying. I like that kid. Weezy likes that kid. We all like him, really. So be careful how you treat him. Because Weezy will not be pleased if you make him cry. Just a friendly warning.” Lincecum smirks.

“Right. Fear the beard. Got it.”

Linecum nods and thumps Hunter on the shoulder before getting up and wandering up to the railing, leaning against it to watch. Hunter shakes his head and pitches his empty cup away, getting up and grabbing his gloves, hat and sunglasses. He's starting to think that there's not a single sane person in this organization.

It's not that he doesn't understand it. He's knuckled down on guys interested in Castro the exact same way. It's just that it makes the pressure feel that much worse. Hunter knows exactly how confused Brandon is. He knows that last night or not, the kid is still conflicted. Those kinds of problems, the self doubt and the residual uncertainty in your own sexuality, they don't go away just because you slept with someone that told you you're beautiful and wanted you to stay the night.

Even with last night, this morning, Hunter can't say with certainty where they stand. He'll have to wait until later, see if Belt turns up at the diner, to find out.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, Hunter's geekery is a fanon thing in my head, although he's following the Settlers of Catan twitter so he's at least sort of geeky in addition to being an adorably awkward moose. So, the Galadriel flipout (Cate Blanchett _was_ at the game tonight) is a product of my imagination along with the rest of this. Could not resist adding the visual though. Affeldt's reaction is column A, Hunter's is column b. [ Enjoy.](http://notthebigspoon.tumblr.com/post/28718944400)
> 
> Also, the [ Stark/Rogers 2012 shirt](http://uploads-riptapparel-com.s3.amazonaws.com/designs/1230/rogers-and-stark-2012-detail-9281.jpg) is quite real. I ordered it this morning.


End file.
